This week, the P4A team discuss a new experimental therapy - Phage therapy or genetically engineered phages in order to treat bacterial infections and the acquisition of Theracon by Big Pharma firm Pfizer for upto $810 million. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributor: Ciaran Cassidy Producer: Aparna Krishnan
May 12, 2019•7 min
This week, we feature a special guest podcast speaker - Scott Dorfman, chief executive officer of non-profit gene therapy developer Odylia Therapeutics on his personal journey and the future in gene therapy development. If you would like to know more about Odylia Therapeutics, please visit https://odylia.org/ Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributor: Scott Dorfman, CEO, Odylia Therapeutics Producer: Aparna Krishnan
May 03, 2019•19 min
This week, we look at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations or EFPIA’s patient wait survey and its key findings as well as news developments in the spinal muscular atrophy world relating to gene therapy Novartis’ Zolgensma and Biogen’s Spinraza. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Sophie Schmitz, Jack Rawson Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Apr 27, 2019•20 min
As part of the continuing World Orphan Drug Congress (WODC) special, this episode discusses the cGMP facilities and biosafety solutions from Germfree’s Carol Houts, P4A’s Sophie Schmitz looks back at the 2019 conference and Terrapinn’s Andre Singer talks about what to expect from WODC 2020. Presenter and Producer: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Carol Houts, Director of Regulatory and Quality, Germfree; Sophie Schmitz, Managing Partner, Partners4Access and Andre Singer, General Manager for World O...
Apr 22, 2019•15 min
This week, the P4A team are podcasting from the World Orphan Drug Congress in Washington D.C. We speak to André Choulika, Chairman and CEO of Cellectis on the challenges of commercializing a CAR-T cell product and ethical concerns surrounding it, and Anna Bucsics from the Mechanism of Coordinated Access to Orphan Medicinal Products (MoCA) on their work supporting new biotech entrepreneurs. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributors: André Choulika, Chairman and CEO of Cellectis; Anna Bucsics, Proj...
Apr 17, 2019•18 min
The team discuss the creation of a new health economics advisory committee in Spain expected to influence pricing and reimbursement decisions for drugs; and Japan’s approval of its first gene therapy and CAR-T therapy - AnGes' HGF Plasmid and Novartis' Kymriah respectively. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributor: Max Rex Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Mar 28, 2019•6 min
This week, we are looking at The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review or ICER’s white paper on alternative options for the US rebate system, and the establishment of a national agency to evaluate drug effectiveness and negotiate prices in Canada. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor and Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Mar 22, 2019•9 min
This week, we look at Ireland's access to orphan drugs as compared to rest of western Europe and the first outcomes deal for CAR-T cell therapies in Germany. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributors: Nader Murad, Ciaran Cassidy Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Mar 15, 2019•9 min
This week, the P4A team discuss the spate of mergers and acquisitions involving Big Pharma companies in the gene therapy space. Particularly, we looked at the deals behind Roche's acquisition of Spark Therapeutics and Biogen's buyout of Nightstar. Also, Vertex's continued struggle to get its cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi reimbursed in the UK. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributor and Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Mar 08, 2019•8 min
On Rare Disease Day, P4A discusses the role of policy-makers in the healthcare system and specifically, the issues surrounding cross-border healthcare as part of its '6P' campaign. This directive is a key cornerstone legislation by EU officials that enables patients to find treatment in healthcare facilities outside their home country. However, there are several challenges associated with it. Presenter: Christina Poschen Contributor: Dr Andrzej Rys, Director - Health Systems and Products Produce...
Feb 28, 2019•15 min
In another special edition episode dedicated to the '6P' campaign to mark Rare Disease Day, the Weekly RoundUp team discusses the pharmaceutical perspective on partnerships in the rare disease space. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Jan-Willem Schmitz, General Manager for Nordics and Baltics, Sanofi Genzyme Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Feb 22, 2019•9 min
Throughout February, Partners4Access is running a campaign to mark the annual Rare Disease Day on February 28. The '6P' campaign is aimed at creating awareness on the impact of rare diseases on key stakeholders and the need for partnership to achieve successful treatment access for patients. The 6Ps are Partnership, Patient, Policy-maker, Physician, Pharma and Payer. This week we focus on the payer who are decision-makers assessing the value of a product in the healthcare system. Presenter and P...
Feb 15, 2019•14 min
Throughout February 2019, the P4A team are hosting a series of special edition podcast episodes to mark Rare Disease Day. The initiative is part of a new 6P campaign aimed at promoting awareness about rare disease challenges and its impact on people and society. The 6Ps are Partnership, Policy-maker, Payer, Pharma, Physician and Patient. Our message: 6Ps are essential to successfully serve the rare disease community and achieve access to medicines. This week, we discuss the first P – Partnership...
Feb 01, 2019•9 min
This week we are looking at the USFDA’s proposed plans to address the expected rise in cell and gene therapy product applications and a significant development in a new controversial procedure called gene drive. Also, P4A is starting a new campaign that will run throughout February to mark Rare Disease Day. The '6P' campaign is aimed at creating awareness on the impact of rare diseases on key stakeholders and the need for partnership to achieve successful treatment access for patients. The 6Ps a...
Jan 25, 2019•11 min
This week, the P4A team discusses the Louisiana Medicaid program implementing the 'Netflix' subscription model to pay for hepatitis C drugs and the potential Brexit options facing the UK government. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributor: Max Rex Producer: Aparna Krishnan
Jan 18, 2019•9 min
Happy New Year to Weekly Roundup listeners! 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the healthcare and biotechnology industry. We are only a couple of weeks in and already news developments are buzzing on the regulatory and corporate front. So for this week's episode, we start by discussing the recent wave of mergers and acquisition deals announced by Big Pharma namely, Eli Lilly and Loxo; BMS and Celgene as well as GSK and Tesaro. Also, the P4A team look at the implications of the current...
Jan 14, 2019•7 min
In the last episode of 2018, the P4A team look back at the events of the year and particularly on how their predictions on key trends in the rare disease space have fared. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Mergers and acquisitions - Sophie Schmitz Rare oncology drug approvals - Joanna Fernandes Future of new technologies like gene therapies - Christina Poschen Increasing prominence of societal burden data - Nader Murad Emphasis on planning Real World Evidence - Aparna Krishnan U.S drug pr...
Dec 14, 2018•16 min
This week, the team discuss Novartis' AVXS-101 FDA application; the UK regulators' promise to review its HTA system under a new voluntary pricing and access scheme and clinical trial updates from bluebirdbio’s gene therapy LentiGlobin. Presenter: Joanna Fernandes Contributor: Aparna Krishnan
Dec 07, 2018•10 min
This week's episode looks at the proposed rules by the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in a bid to reduce drug prices and improve e-prescribing and the OECD's new report on access to medicines. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributor: Jack Rawson
Nov 30, 2018•6 min
The P4A team discuss the latest update on Brexit and its implication on life science companies; Novartis' CAR-T therapy commercialization efforts and the Hercules Project, a unique initiative supporting new drug reimbursements in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Joanna Fernandes and Sophie Schmitz
Nov 23, 2018•12 min
In the second part of our World Orphan Drug Congress special, P4A's Sophie Schmitz speaks to Diane Kleinermans, adviser to the Belgian Federal Government on the origins and future of the Beneluxa initiative. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Sophie Schmitz, Managing Partner, P4A and Diane Kleinermans, Adviser to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Belgium
Nov 15, 2018•10 min
In the first of a two-part special, the P4A team are at the World Orphan Drug Congress in Barcelona discussing access to new treatments with a Porphyria patient; hear from a company offering a unique service to clinical trial patients; a special interview with Ségolène Aymé on rare disease challenges and a chat with organisers of the congress. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Sophie Schmitz, Managing Partner, P4A; Dr Jasmin Burman-Aksözen, Vice President of International Porphyria Patien...
Nov 09, 2018•27 min
The team analyze the new Medicare drug pricing plan unveiled by the Trump administration and the prospects of Vertex's cystic fibrosis drug Symkevi which gained EU approval recently. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributors: Max Rex and Jack Rawson
Nov 02, 2018•11 min
This week, we look at Biogen's spinal muscular atrophy drug Spinraza's prospects in the face of emerging competition and the latest Brexit update providing recommendations on areas to prepare for as deadline for UK's exit looms. Presenter: Aparna Krishnan Contributor: Joanna Fernandes
Oct 25, 2018•7 min
This week, the P4A team analyse the new regulations surrounding health technology assessments in Europe and US-based CAR-T start-up Allogene Therapeutic's record-breaking initial public offering. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Christina Poschen, Consultant, P4A
Oct 18, 2018•6 min
The P4A team analyze Novartis' deal with Celluar Biomedicine Group to supply the CAR-T therapy Kymriah and the successes and failures of the reimbursement of Vertex's cystic fibrosis drug, Orkambi. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Nader Murad, Senior Analyst
Oct 11, 2018•8 min
This week, Pfizer's Matthew Harold joins us to discuss the findings of his recent research study that reviewed national policies for rare diseases in the context of key patient needs. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Matthew Harold, International Developed Markets Public Affairs Lead, Pfizer
Oct 05, 2018•15 min
This week, P4A's podcast will cover Luxturna's CHMP recommendation, Novartis' restructuring plans and Alexion's acquisition of Syntimmune. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Aparna Krishnan
Sep 27, 2018•6 min
Back from a summer break! The P4A team discuss the reasons behind NICE's rejection of Novartis' CAR-T therapy Kymriah, Denmark and Norway's joint drug purchasing agreement and US patient groups pushing back against ICER's influence in drug reimbursement. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Aparna Krishnan
Sep 20, 2018•6 min
In this episode, the team discuss UK health technology body NICE not recommending Biogen's Spinraza for routine use in the NHS; CVS announcing the use of ICER's cost effectiveness analysis to decide formulary inclusions and Express Scripts is in talks with several pharma companies for exclusive distribution rights to sell their upcoming gene therapies. Presenter: Max Rex Contributor: Aparna Krishnan
Aug 16, 2018•7 min